Research Progress on the Antitumor Mechanism of Compound Kushen Injection

Compound Kushen Injection (CKI), as a clinical traditional Chinese medicine preparation, has prominent antitumor effect but with several side effects. A large number of studies have shown that CKI plays an antitumor role by regulating tumor cell proliferation, inducing tumor cell differentiation and apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell invasion and metastasis, reducing tumor angiogenesis, regulating the immunity, and so on. Clinically, CKI is widely used to treat various tumors, where it is often combined with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and other antitumor treatments. This article reviews the antitumor mechanism of CKI and the progress of its clinical application in order to provide a theoretical basis for further clinical application.

Study on the Effects of Kuanxiong Aerosol on the Isolated Artery and Rabbits Acute Myocardial Ischemia Model

Background: Kuan xiong aerosol (KXA) is a kind of Chinese herbal compound used to regulating qi-flowing for relieving pain and improving angina. However, little pharmacological study of this traditional Chinese medicine preparation has been reported to confirm these activities. Objective: This article aims to observe the effect of resisting acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) in vivo and dilating vessel in vitro of KXA. Materials: The AMI model involves intravenously injecting pituitary (2 U.kg-1) into the ear of rabbits. Electrocardiograph (ECG) T waves were then recorded after administration and the falling range was calculated. Following this, the level of serum Cardiac troponin T (cTn-T) and the histopathology of the cardiac muscle tissue was evaluated. In vitro, the effect of KXA on vasodilation of isolated aortic rings that had been pre-contracted with KCl (30 mM) was observed. Results: It was found KXA reduced ECG ST-T waves and serum cTn-T in the rabbit AMI model, protected myocardial tissue from fracturing and loss of myocardial fibers, and inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration, cavitation degeneration and karyopyknosis of the myocardial matrix. Furthermore, the administration of 0.215, 1.075 and 2.150 mg.mL-1 KXA resulted in significant relaxation of the aortic rings at a rate of 69.63 %, 90.14 % and 118.72 % (p < 0.01) of the untreated ones, and a second shrinkage ratio of 20.17 %, 4.29 %, and 4.54 % (p < 0.01) of the untreated ones, respectively. Conclusions: these results suggest KXA protects against AMI, contributes to dilation of blood vessels and has long-acting effectiveness.

The Role of Nanoparticles-Mediated Ligustrazine in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis and Its Effect on Matrix Metalloproteinases and Upstream NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a joint degenerative arthropathy, characterized by cartilage degeneration of knee joint. Ligustrazine is an effective component of traditional Chinese medicine chuanqiong. It is reported that ligustrazine is used as a kind of anti-inflammatory medicine in folk prescription, especially in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The study is aimed to study the therapeutic effect of ligustrazine mediated by nanoparticle on knee osteoarthritis and its impact on MMPs and upstream NF-κB signaling pathway in synovial fluid. Nanoparticle-mediated system is a kind of nano traditional Chinese medicine preparation, which is made by taking nanoparticle and combining with the effective components, effective parts, raw materials, and their compounds in a certain way. We found that the combination of nanoparticle and ligustrazine can improve its bioavailability and targeting, reduce the adverse reactions in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The ligustrazine mediated by nanoparticle can effectively alleviate knee osteoarthritis by reducing the level of MMPs in synovial fluid and the expression of NF-κB in upstream NF-κB signaling pathway.

Safety reassessment of cinobufotalin injection: new findings into cardiotoxicity

Cinobufotalin injection, a traditional Chinese medicine preparation, successfully used for several years, might induce cardiotoxicity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection and the cardiotoxicity-preventive effect of sodium phenytoin in vivo. According to the 4 × 4 Latin square design, four Beagle dogs were allocated into four dose levels of 0, 0.3, 1, and 3 g/kg in treatment phases I–IV (cinobufotalin injection) and 3 g/kg in treatment phase V (cardiotoxicity antidote). The following parameters and endpoints were assessed: clinical observations, body weight, indicators of myocardial injury, and electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters. The cinobufotalin injection-related changes were observed in clinical observations (rapid breathing pattern), indicators of myocardial injury (increased cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase isoenzymes, and aspartate aminotransferase), and ECG graphics (arrhythmia) at 3 g/kg concentration in treatment phases I–IV. The cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection was attenuated by sodium phenytoin in treatment phase V. The results confirmed the cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection, and they might bring information about the appropriate monitoring time points and cardiotoxicity parameters in clinical practices and shed light on the treatment of cardiovascular adverse reactions.